Brassiere



H. COF F MAN BRAssIERE Nov. 22, 1949 Filed April 18, 1947 n/ 0 0m Tf fE0 C a M u H 2.

A'TTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,488,583 BRAssntREHulda Cotfman, Lenexa, Kans.

- 3 Application April 18, 1947, Serial No. 742,391

2 Claims.

The present invention pertains to feminine apparel, and particularly tobreast-supporting devices known as brassieres, and aims to provide amore practical and efficient brassiere onstruction than the prevailingtypes of devices of this class.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of my invention to provide abrassiere design which is characterized by a more efficient and naturaluplifting action than is possible with the conventional or prevailingtype of brassiere patterns.

For this purpose I have devised a brassire construction in which a moreeffective supporting means is incorporated in the design for the lowerbreast regions While leaving the remainder of the supporting structurefree to conform to the natural contour of the breasts.

To this end I provide a brassiere design in which the supportingstructures for the individual breasts are adapted to afford apractically unyielding support to the region underlying the breastswithout affecting the normal supporting function of the remainder ofsaid structures, and all being incorporated in a brassiere pattern Whichinvolves no elaborate change or modification of the material requiredfor the manufacture of the complete article or brassiere device.

In the construction or manufacture of the improved brassiere, a primaryfeature of the improvement consists in uniting the lower margins of thebreast supporting portions to the anchoring band or girdle in such amanner that all elasticity or yielding action is eliminated from suchsupporting portions for the lower portions of the breasts, while leavingthe remainder of the breastengaging or cup portions of the brassireentirely unaffected for freely yielding and conforming to the contour ofthe breasts and thereby preserving said contour and maintaining the samein a natural uplifted state or condition.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention will now bedescribed by reference to the accompanying drawing, illustrating oneform of construction or design which I have designed for embodying theproposed features of improvement, after which those features orcombinations which are deemed to be novel and patentable will beparticularly set forth and claimed.

In the.drawing Figure 1 is a front view, or elevation, showing abrassiere device or pattern constructed in accordance with the presentinvention; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary detail view showing a portion ofthe connection between one of the breast cups and the lower band 2 orgirdle portion of the brassiere, and illustrating particularly thestretched condition of the material forming the lower portion of thebreast cups.

In the accompanying drawing, I illustrate the improved brassiere asembodied in a construction comprising individual breast supporting cupmembers each made up of an upper section III and a lower section l2, ofsuitable woven fabric material having a yielding or elastic property inone direction only or along the line of threads H which are so wovenwith transverse and substantially nonelastic threads [5 as to permityielding or stretching of the fabric along the line of said threads IIbut not along the lines of the threads l5 (as represented in Figure 2).These two sections I0, l2, are so arranged and joined together bystitching along a seam l4 of such a character as to permit free yieldingaction or stretching of said seam along with the stretching of thematerial of said sections I0 and I2 in the same substantially horizontaldirection, that is, crosswise of the breasts or body of the person.

The inner margins of both sections l0 and I2 are stitched (as indicatedat H) to a vertical nonelastic strip N5 of material, and the lower endof said strip l6 and also the lower margins of the lower cup sections l2(after both sections l0 and I2 of the breast cup members have beenproperly steamed and pressed into a normal state) are secured bystitching 18 to a base or anchoring band or girdle piece 20 ofnonelastic material of the usual or conventional design. To this band orgirdle 20 the usual shoulder supporting straps 22 are also designed tobe secured at the rear of the person, when the brassiere is applied inwearing position.

In the process of securing the parts together by the stitching l8, thelower margins of the cup sections I2 are maintained in a fully-stretchedcondition in order to take up all the elasticity of said sections, sothat all the elastic properties of said lower portions of the cupsections l2 are completely eliminated, as represented in Figure 2.Therefore when the finished brassire is applied in wearing position itserves to provide a firm and unyielding support for the lower portionsof the breasts and to impart thereto an effective uplifting action.

With a brassiere arrangement having the foregoing construction it willbe understood that a woven fabric cup member is provided for each of thebreasts, and by the method of attachment to the band or girdle 20 allthe elasticity is eliminated from the lower marginal portions of saidcup members, whereby a firm anchoring support is afl'orded underneaththe lower portions of the breasts. This provides an unyielding supportfor maintaining a firm uplifting action with relation to said lowerbreast portions, while the normal elastic action of the fabriccomprising the main body portions of the breast cups is thus allowed toyield and conform properly to the natural contours of the breasts,-andwith an easy and comfortable supporting action.

While I have thus illustrated and described the principle of myinvention with reference to one pattern or form of construction which Ihave devised and found suitable and practical for the satisfactoryembodiment of my improved "br'assiere, I desire to be understoodas'reserv-ing the right to make whatever changes or modifications may bedeemed to fairly fall within the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

I-Iavin'g thiis described my invention, what "I claim -and'dsiretosecureby Letters Patent is:

=1.-'"A brassire construction comprising breast cup members eachconstructed of upper and lower upper an'd'lower portions-of the-breastsand con- 'n'eted by a horizontal seam having stretching properties onlylengthwise of said seam, the lower margins (if-the 'lower cup sectionsfor supporting 4 the under portions of the breasts being extended to themaximum limit of their stretching capacity, and an inelastic band orgirdle for anchoring the lower portions of said lower cup sections andsecured to the fully stretched lower margins of said lower cup sections.

2. A brassiere construction comprising breast cup members eachconstructed of upper and lower sections of Woven fabric material havingelastic stretching propi ties ndrin'ally in 'a horizontal direction ortransversely of the body of the wearer, said sections being shaped toconform to the upper and lower portions of the breasts and -connected bya horizontal seam having stretching properties only lengthwise of saidseam, and the rnaterial forming the lower margins of the lower cupsections for supporting the under portions of the breasts beingstretched to substantially the m'a ximum limit of its stretchingcapacity.

--HULDA COFFMAN.

REFERENCES CIT-ED The foll'owin g"references areofrecord in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date "811653 'Meyer Apr. 10, 19061,095,681 Smith May 5, 1914 11156;808 Perillat Oct. 12, 1915 1,774,613Pidgeon Sept. 2, 1930

